Need Help finding calmer water on Lake Erie

[dave524]

2 hours ago, GaraldT said:

So I ended up taking my dad to the Grand in Dunnville where @dave524 suggested and the water was great even though it was windy.

Normal chocolate milk water but easy to fish in, deepest part there is about 10 feet. 

My dad caught a few catfish off worms but I struck out using my bass lures.

I tried chatterbaits, jigs with craw trailers, jerk baits, drop shot some roboworms, crankbaits and a lipless too but couldn’t get a bite. Even got closer to shore where there were lily pads and threw a couple frogs but no luck.

But still had a great day taking my dad out.

 

Glad you had a good day,  you can go a long ways up river and it's an enjoyable cruise. I really only fished walleyes there and would get them trolling the deeper channels with worm harnesses years ago, recommended more on being a safe bet you could get out no matter the wind, but there is almost everything in that river.

[GaraldT]

26 minutes ago, grimsbylander said:

Glad you had a good day out with your Dad!

I have to weigh in on the Lake Erie idea. First, going to Erie is not a crap shoot. Not if you take 5 mins and do some homework looking at wind forecasts. The good sites were already posted. Secondly, it’s not written anywhere that you have to run out to the middle of the lake to catch fish. You can catch smallies all day within a few hundred yards of the shoreline. In fact you can stay under 10 mins from the boat launch all day and still not go deeper than 15’ of water. I drive to the Fort Erie / Crystal Beach area and always plan my trip using a wind forecast. 

Don't be nervous and avoid the lake just because you’ve never been there. The people that get in trouble on Erie do so because they don’t respect the lake. No preparation, don’t know their limits, and don’t put safety first. 

Go and enjoy the lake! After a few visits, your confidence will go up and you’ll wonder why you waited. 

 

Yes, sorry, I meant to say crap shoot for me lol

i see tons of guys online on Erie have huge smallie days. I get so jealous.

im learning winds now and taking lots of advice from you guys so eventually ill get the hang of it and know when to be out there to slay.

Thanks for the tips!

[spincast]

Good news on the outing with your Dad, some solid info from along time member there - every one of those outings is worth a hundred solo trips..

As for your initial question -  hitting the big lake in an 18 ftr, its not a problem, so long as you are willing to invest a little time to learn what the water conditions will be like based on the available information  -- and respect the resource I hit both big lakes regularly with my 18ftr.  The internet has a ton of info. I like Windfinder personally. It misses once in a while, but not often. Learn what wind speeds and directions on your forecast site mean on the lake. And if you are going out on a day when a couple Ks change in the wind makes a difference to your safety - ask yourself why? If I have a west wind at 5k, and it doubles, or even triples, depending on where I am I know I don't have to worry. If it says 25k, there's other things to do with my life.   I also have a VHF, and at this time of year when the heat and humidity can drive storm cells up from nowhere in a flash I am listening to the weather channel, the anglers, and watching the lake and skys for signs I gotta get off. I have been chased off a couple times, so far, so good, an nothing serious or even white knuckle worthy. Just time to go.Have I pulled off for nothing more than once. Yup. But you only get one chance to do it too late.  Don't play games with the water - a fish ain't worth it. There are incredible fishing opportunities on the big lakes you can't get anywhere else around here. Just respect the winds, waves and water.

If you are interested in Erie at this end, spend some time on the long point forum, or there are a few facebook pages that are pretty easily discovered

or, send me a PM, and I'll take you out one day and we can chat.

[GaraldT]

1 hour ago, sauce said:

Have you thought about belwood or conestogo lake? Both have bass pike perch crappies and walleye. I have been out on Belwood in strong wind and it only gets choppy in the open middle section. Both lakes have lots of protected shoreline to fish if the wind is howling.

Will definitely look into those places.

 

thanks!

[GaraldT]

1 hour ago, spincast said:

Good news on the outing with your Dad, some solid info from along time member there - every one of those outings is worth a hundred solo trips..

As for your initial question -  hitting the big lake in an 18 ftr, its not a problem, so long as you are willing to invest a little time to learn what the water conditions will be like based on the available information  -- and respect the resource I hit both big lakes regularly with my 18ftr.  The internet has a ton of info. I like Windfinder personally. It misses once in a while, but not often. Learn what wind speeds and directions on your forecast site mean on the lake. And if you are going out on a day when a couple Ks change in the wind makes a difference to your safety - ask yourself why? If I have a west wind at 5k, and it doubles, or even triples, depending on where I am I know I don't have to worry. If it says 25k, there's other things to do with my life.   I also have a VHF, and at this time of year when the heat and humidity can drive storm cells up from nowhere in a flash I am listening to the weather channel, the anglers, and watching the lake and skys for signs I gotta get off. I have been chased off a couple times, so far, so good, an nothing serious or even white knuckle worthy. Just time to go.Have I pulled off for nothing more than once. Yup. But you only get one chance to do it too late.  Don't play games with the water - a fish ain't worth it. There are incredible fishing opportunities on the big lakes you can't get anywhere else around here. Just respect the winds, waves and water.

If you are interested in Erie at this end, spend some time on the long point forum, or there are a few facebook pages that are pretty easily discovered

or, send me a PM, and I'll take you out one day and we can chat.

I got a lot to learn!

I use that windfinder site now and noticed the areas in Erie that I wanted to fish were about 15mph today so I backed off and I understand things can change quick when you’re on the water, so I have to learn for signs to look for like you say.

 

thank you for your offer, I might take you up on that soon! 

[GaraldT]

Hey guys is 12mph SW on Nanticoke safe enough today?

[Old Ironmaker]

Fantastic you got out with your Dad. It wasn't even windy yesterday/ Windy is when there are white caps on the river, going upstream. You were on the wrong side of the dam for Bass GT. The section downriver of Cayuga to the dam is loaded with Smallies. I've never seen a Largemouth taken from the river. I'm not saying they aren't there I just haven't caught 1. The lake was boatable yesterday. Smooth as glass in the AM. About a 2 foot chop right now, perfect Walleye chop. I take it you only are able to get out on weekends. I haven't fished on a weekend for a few years. The launches around here is sheer entertainment, like going to the Zoo. 

[GaraldT]

43 minutes ago, Old Ironmaker said:

Fantastic you got out with your Dad. It wasn't even windy yesterday/ Windy is when there are white caps on the river, going upstream. You were on the wrong side of the dam for Bass GT. The section downriver of Cayuga to the dam is loaded with Smallies. I've never seen a Largemouth taken from the river. I'm not saying they aren't there I just haven't caught 1. The lake was boatable yesterday. Smooth as glass in the AM. About a 2 foot chop right now, perfect Walleye chop. I take it you only are able to get out on weekends. I haven't fished on a weekend for a few years. The launches around here is sheer entertainment, like going to the Zoo. 

Ok I’ll try it out, taking the wife out for a few hours now, do you know a good launch there?

[spincast]

Port Colborne Buoy.

Add it to the info from Windfinder. Gives you now versus forecast,  Add that to your personal experiences  from the lake. Understand how topography will affect the winds where you want to launch, and how far out you want to head.. Overtime you can predict pretty close what it is gonna be. 

[GaraldT]

3 hours ago, spincast said:

Port Colborne Buoy.

Add it to the info from Windfinder. Gives you now versus forecast,  Add that to your personal experiences  from the lake. Understand how topography will affect the winds where you want to launch, and how far out you want to head.. Overtime you can predict pretty close what it is gonna be. 

Saved it, thanks for the help!

[Squid]

On 6/29/2019 at 1:47 PM, GaraldT said:

Does anybody know what would be the closest smaller, calmer lake from the Hamilton Burlington area? Don’t mind driving an hour or two.

bellwood lake in Guelph.

[GaraldT]

20 hours ago, Old Ironmaker said:

Fantastic you got out with your Dad. It wasn't even windy yesterday/ Windy is when there are white caps on the river, going upstream. You were on the wrong side of the dam for Bass GT. The section downriver of Cayuga to the dam is loaded with Smallies. I've never seen a Largemouth taken from the river. I'm not saying they aren't there I just haven't caught 1. The lake was boatable yesterday. Smooth as glass in the AM. About a 2 foot chop right now, perfect Walleye chop. I take it you only are able to get out on weekends. I haven't fished on a weekend for a few years. The launches around here is sheer entertainment, like going to the Zoo. 

So I launched off Main Street on the right side of the dam this time like you suggested and you were right, much better there. There’s a 30-35 foot drop right there.

My wife used worms and caught a bunch of sheep head, one was about 7lbs, she was loving it, her first time fishing on a boat.

Couldnt find any bass though but had a great day.

thanks again 

Edited July 2, 2019 by GaraldT

[GaraldT]

1 hour ago, Squid said:

bellwood lake in Guelph.

Gas motors allowed on there?

[grimsbylander]

1 hour ago, GaraldT said:

Gas motors allowed on there?

Yes

[Squid]

1 hour ago, GaraldT said:

Gas motors allowed on there?

yes the last time i was there.

[GaraldT]

I’ll definitely check it out, thanks.

Noticed the last time I was out that my motor wasn’t shooting out water through the little hole so the engine wasn’t cooling.

I did some tests but looks like it might be my impeller. I have to call a few shops tmw to see if they can fix it. I hope it’s not anything serious.